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Nick Mensio

Free Agency Dose

NFL Hot Stove, Day 4

Thursday wasn’t as hot and heavy as the previous two days of free agency were, but there was still a steady pace from the morning on up through the afternoon. Once daylight disappeared, so did the buzz.

We still had a few big-ticket signings. The Falcons reappeared to snag Steven Jackson out of the Packers’ grasps when we thought Atlanta might have bowed out of the pursuit. Kansas City locked up arguably the top corner on the market in Sean Smith, and the Chiefs now have a trio of corners that they hope can contain the Broncos’ high-powered passing attack. The Seahawks said “oh, what the hell,” and they grabbed another talented pass rusher in Michael Bennett on the cheap a day after pulling the same move with Cliff Avril. Let’s dive in even further and see what the rest of the league did.

Arizona Cardinals: Arizona will reportedly release quarterback Kevin Kolb in the coming days. He’s due a $2 million roster bonus on Saturday, so they’ll likely cut the cord by then. A few teams that make some sense as landing spots after he’s released could be the Bills, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, and Bucs. … After a bunch of back and forth with free agent Josh Cribbs and the Cardinals on Wednesday, nothing was worked out on Thursday. He might see what other teams have to offer. … Free agent defensive end Matt Shaughnessy was visiting the team on Thursday night. He could play outside linebacker in the 3-4, or Shaughnessy could pack on five-to-ten pounds and be a rotational end. … The Cardinals had inside linebacker Jasper Brinkley in for a visit on Thursday, and they ended up inking him to a two-year deal. He’s expected to compete with fellow free-agent signee Lorenzo Alexander for the inside spot next to stud linebacker Daryl Washington. The smart money is on Brinkley, who is strong versus the run. He can’t cover at all. Brinkley’s signing likely rules out free agent linebacker Rey Maualuga in the desert.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons have been quiet all offseason, and they have stuck to mostly locking up their own guys. But that changed on Thursday when they landed top free-agent running back Steven Jackson on a three-year, $12 million deal. Jackson gets $4 million guaranteed. We love the signing for Atlanta. Last year, running back Michael Turner had bundles of goal-line and short-yardage opportunities in OC Dirk Koetter’s offense. Turner left a lot of scoring chances out on the field. Expect Jackson to cash in on those, as he’s a relentless runner. Although Jackson is creeping up on 30 years old, the guy stays in peak physical condition. He hasn’t lost much despite being the active leader among running backs in touches. To read more on Jackson and his signing’s effect on the rest of the offense, check out Adam Levitan’s fantasy fallout here.

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens took it easy on Thursday. They re-signed cornerback Chris Johnson to a one-year deal, and GM Ozzie Newsome got in touch with free agent outside linebacker James Harrison’s representatives. Johnson started one game for the Ravens last season, but he’s nothing more than depth. With Harrison, the Ravens need to find someone to replace Paul Kruger’s production opposite Terrell Suggs. The soon-to-be 35-year-old Harrison shouldn’t cost much.

Buffalo Bills: Same story, different day in Buffalo. There was no action in West New York. Just for conversation’s sake, there are still holes to be addressed on the Bills’ roster. They could use a receiver or two, potentially a guard (Chris Hairston or Cordy Glenn could conceivably shift inside if need be), a tight end, and a quarterback. A couple of free agents that have a history with members of the coaching staff are receiver Devery Henderson and guard Brandon Moore. … New linebacker Manny Lawson will reportedly play the strong side for the Bills. They’ll hope he can match up with tight ends in coverage and rush the passer a little bit. … Free agent tight end Dustin Keller’s agent may reach out to the Bills after talks broke off with the Dolphins. Buffalo needs a replacement for Scott Chandler. He may not be ready for the season opener after tearing his ACL in Week 16.

Carolina Panthers: After signing a couple of players on Wednesday, the Panthers went back to their bunker on Thursday. Carolina has offered free agent defensive tackle Dwan Edwards a one-year deal. But after he notched 6.5 sacks for the team in 2012, a one-year deal isn’t what Edwards is looking for. He’s also said to be searching for a contender. … The Panthers reportedly have some level of interest in free agent cornerback Antoine Cason. His price will likely have to drop for Carolina to be able to afford him. The Panthers need cornerback help badly.

Chicago Bears: The Bears dried up much of their funds in left tackle Jermon Bushrod and tight end Martellus Bennett on Tuesday, so they’ve been hanging back the last couple of days. Chicago did re-sign defensive tackle Nate Collins to a one-year, $630,000 deal, though. He wasn’t offered a tender by the Bears as a restricted free agent earlier in the week. Collins will back up franchise player Henry Melton.

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals continued to show interest in lower-level free agents on Thursday. Free agent quarterback Josh Johnson worked out for the team, and free agent receiver and return man Ted Ginn visited the complex. Johnson has a history with OC Jay Gruden. Johnson entered the league with the Bucs while Gruden was on the coaching staff there. He spent one week on the Browns’ roster last season. Ginn would be a fine replacement for fellow free agent Brandon Tate as Cincinnati’s situational deep threat and return man. Ginn also has ties to the area. He went to Ohio State.

Cleveland Browns: Just like much of the rest of the league, the Browns were another team that stayed relatively quiet on Thursday. They blew through some cash in the opening days of free agency, but they’re still rumored to have varying levels of interest in a couple more free agents. Cleveland is reportedly seriously in on tight end Fred Davis, and it has some interest in quarterback Jason Campbell. Davis was discussed in yesterday’s dose, too. Campbell is interesting. The Browns are looking for some competition for Brandon Weeden, but Campbell wouldn’t be that guy. He’d likely just be taking Colt McCoy’s gig as the primary backup. … The Ryan Mallett rumors continue to swirl. Those have been exhausted in recent weeks.

Dallas Cowboys: It was just another day without being connected to any free agents for the Cowboys. Luckily for them, they don’t seem to have an abundance of holes on the roster. The offensive line is going to be the big project. Dallas could use a backup running back and a safety or two, as well.

Denver Broncos: Thursday was spent introducing receiver Wes Welker to the media. Aside from that nothing really happened in Broncos land. … Executive VP John Elway confirmed that the team is not backing down from their request that right end Elvis Dumervil takes a pay cut. If Dumervil’s agent is smart, then he’d convince his client that it’s the right thing to do. Money isn’t out there for pass rushers. Dumervil just needs to look at Cliff Avril’s and Michael Bennett’s deals to see that.

Thursday wasn’t as hot and heavy as the previous two days of free agency were, but there was still a steady pace from the morning on up through the afternoon. Once daylight disappeared, so did the buzz.

We still had a few big-ticket signings. The Falcons reappeared to snag Steven Jackson out of the Packers’ grasps when we thought Atlanta might have bowed out of the pursuit. Kansas City locked up arguably the top corner on the market in Sean Smith, and the Chiefs now have a trio of corners that they hope can contain the Broncos’ high-powered passing attack. The Seahawks said “oh, what the hell,” and they grabbed another talented pass rusher in Michael Bennett on the cheap a day after pulling the same move with Cliff Avril. Let’s dive in even further and see what the rest of the league did.

Arizona Cardinals: Arizona will reportedly release quarterback Kevin Kolb in the coming days. He’s due a $2 million roster bonus on Saturday, so they’ll likely cut the cord by then. A few teams that make some sense as landing spots after he’s released could be the Bills, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, and Bucs. … After a bunch of back and forth with free agent Josh Cribbs and the Cardinals on Wednesday, nothing was worked out on Thursday. He might see what other teams have to offer. … Free agent defensive end Matt Shaughnessy was visiting the team on Thursday night. He could play outside linebacker in the 3-4, or Shaughnessy could pack on five-to-ten pounds and be a rotational end. … The Cardinals had inside linebacker Jasper Brinkley in for a visit on Thursday, and they ended up inking him to a two-year deal. He’s expected to compete with fellow free-agent signee Lorenzo Alexander for the inside spot next to stud linebacker Daryl Washington. The smart money is on Brinkley, who is strong versus the run. He can’t cover at all. Brinkley’s signing likely rules out free agent linebacker Rey Maualuga in the desert.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons have been quiet all offseason, and they have stuck to mostly locking up their own guys. But that changed on Thursday when they landed top free-agent running back Steven Jackson on a three-year, $12 million deal. Jackson gets $4 million guaranteed. We love the signing for Atlanta. Last year, running back Michael Turner had bundles of goal-line and short-yardage opportunities in OC Dirk Koetter’s offense. Turner left a lot of scoring chances out on the field. Expect Jackson to cash in on those, as he’s a relentless runner. Although Jackson is creeping up on 30 years old, the guy stays in peak physical condition. He hasn’t lost much despite being the active leader among running backs in touches. To read more on Jackson and his signing’s effect on the rest of the offense, check out Adam Levitan’s fantasy fallout here.

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens took it easy on Thursday. They re-signed cornerback Chris Johnson to a one-year deal, and GM Ozzie Newsome got in touch with free agent outside linebacker James Harrison’s representatives. Johnson started one game for the Ravens last season, but he’s nothing more than depth. With Harrison, the Ravens need to find someone to replace Paul Kruger’s production opposite Terrell Suggs. The soon-to-be 35-year-old Harrison shouldn’t cost much.

Buffalo Bills: Same story, different day in Buffalo. There was no action in West New York. Just for conversation’s sake, there are still holes to be addressed on the Bills’ roster. They could use a receiver or two, potentially a guard (Chris Hairston or Cordy Glenn could conceivably shift inside if need be), a tight end, and a quarterback. A couple of free agents that have a history with members of the coaching staff are receiver Devery Henderson and guard Brandon Moore. … New linebacker Manny Lawson will reportedly play the strong side for the Bills. They’ll hope he can match up with tight ends in coverage and rush the passer a little bit. … Free agent tight end Dustin Keller’s agent may reach out to the Bills after talks broke off with the Dolphins. Buffalo needs a replacement for Scott Chandler. He may not be ready for the season opener after tearing his ACL in Week 16.

Carolina Panthers: After signing a couple of players on Wednesday, the Panthers went back to their bunker on Thursday. Carolina has offered free agent defensive tackle Dwan Edwards a one-year deal. But after he notched 6.5 sacks for the team in 2012, a one-year deal isn’t what Edwards is looking for. He’s also said to be searching for a contender. … The Panthers reportedly have some level of interest in free agent cornerback Antoine Cason. His price will likely have to drop for Carolina to be able to afford him. The Panthers need cornerback help badly.

Chicago Bears: The Bears dried up much of their funds in left tackle Jermon Bushrod and tight end Martellus Bennett on Tuesday, so they’ve been hanging back the last couple of days. Chicago did re-sign defensive tackle Nate Collins to a one-year, $630,000 deal, though. He wasn’t offered a tender by the Bears as a restricted free agent earlier in the week. Collins will back up franchise player Henry Melton.

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals continued to show interest in lower-level free agents on Thursday. Free agent quarterback Josh Johnson worked out for the team, and free agent receiver and return man Ted Ginn visited the complex. Johnson has a history with OC Jay Gruden. Johnson entered the league with the Bucs while Gruden was on the coaching staff there. He spent one week on the Browns’ roster last season. Ginn would be a fine replacement for fellow free agent Brandon Tate as Cincinnati’s situational deep threat and return man. Ginn also has ties to the area. He went to Ohio State.

Cleveland Browns: Just like much of the rest of the league, the Browns were another team that stayed relatively quiet on Thursday. They blew through some cash in the opening days of free agency, but they’re still rumored to have varying levels of interest in a couple more free agents. Cleveland is reportedly seriously in on tight end Fred Davis, and it has some interest in quarterback Jason Campbell. Davis was discussed in yesterday’s dose, too. Campbell is interesting. The Browns are looking for some competition for Brandon Weeden, but Campbell wouldn’t be that guy. He’d likely just be taking Colt McCoy’s gig as the primary backup. … The Ryan Mallett rumors continue to swirl. Those have been exhausted in recent weeks.

Dallas Cowboys: It was just another day without being connected to any free agents for the Cowboys. Luckily for them, they don’t seem to have an abundance of holes on the roster. The offensive line is going to be the big project. Dallas could use a backup running back and a safety or two, as well.

Denver Broncos: Thursday was spent introducing receiver Wes Welker to the media. Aside from that nothing really happened in Broncos land. … Executive VP John Elway confirmed that the team is not backing down from their request that right end Elvis Dumervil takes a pay cut. If Dumervil’s agent is smart, then he’d convince his client that it’s the right thing to do. Money isn’t out there for pass rushers. Dumervil just needs to look at Cliff Avril’s and Michael Bennett’s deals to see that.

Detroit Lions: The Lions re-signed long snapper Don Muhlbach to a one-year contract on Thursday. He’ll enter his tenth season with the team, and he’s missed just one game over the last seven seasons. … New defensive lineman Jason Jones may not be viewed as a starter by the team, but instead as an inside pass rusher out of the nickel defense. The Lions will see what they can piece together the rest of the offseason before determining that, though. … Longtime left tackle Jeff Backus announced his retirement on Thursday. He played 12 seasons, missing just one game over that span. Detroit now has openings at both tackle spots. 2011 first-rounder Riley Reiff will certainly man one of the positions. Jason Fox, Corey Hilliard, or a high draft pick will likely get the other.

Green Bay Packers: While GM Ted Thompson kicks back and watches, Packers fans are wondering what he is doing to improve the team. It’s a yearly thing in Green Bay. Thompson never gets deeply involved with free agency, and the fans get in a tizzy. Running back Steven Jackson-to-Atlanta is just another example of this. Thompson isn’t going to pay substantial money for aging players unless they’re the team’s own veterans. He won’t even do that sometimes. … The Packers are still keeping a watchful eye on free agent receiver Greg Jennings. He was being wined and dined by the Vikings on Thursday night. … Green Bay reportedly still feels good about running back DuJuan Harris. We’re a fan of Harris, but he’s not a workhorse back. Expect the Packers to add someone else to the mix. Free agent Peyton Hillis was mentioned on Wednesday.

Houston Texans: Owner Bob McNair picked free agent safety Ed Reed up in his private jet on Thursday, and things are looking positive on that front. Reed was staying the night in Houston as the sides try and inch closer to a deal. Receiver Andre Johnson and center Chris Myers are both University of Miami (FL) alums like Reed, and they are part of the recruiting effort. We should know something on Friday.

Indianapolis Colts: Owner Jim Irsay kept on spending money on Thursday. Defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois inked a four-year, $22 million deal with the Colts. Jean-Francois was a coveted free agent despite not being a starter during his four-year career with the 49ers. He’s valuable because he can play any position on the defensive line. We expect him to play an end spot opposite Cory Redding and next to nose tackle Josh Chapman in the Colts’ 3-4 defense. … Indianapolis is reportedly interested in free agent cornerback Antoine Cason. You can never have enough corners, but we’re not sure where Cason would fit. He did play under coach Chuck Pagano’s brother, John, in San Diego last season.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars’ lone move of the day was re-signing cornerback Antwaun Molden. He played in three games for Jacksonville last season, registering one tackle. Molden has the length – 6-foot-1 – that coach Gus Bradley likes his corners to have. He’ll fight for a roster spot this summer.

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs finally released quarterback Matt Cassel on Thursday. That wasn’t their biggest move. Cornerback Sean Smith signed a three-year, $18 million contract with Kansas City. The $6 million annual average is lower than what Smith was expected to get, but the market hasn’t spewed out much money to corners and pass rushers. A big, press-man cover corner, Smith joins Brandon Flowers and Dunta Robinson to form one of the league’s top cornerback trios. Javier Arenas is in the mix for slot duties, as well. The Chiefs have put together a nice roster this offseason.

Miami Dolphins: Miami hosted four players for free-agent visits on Thursday. They were defensive end Michael Bennett, tight end Dustin Keller, linebacker Thomas Howard, and guard Lance Louis. None of the four were signed to contracts. Bennett actually signed with Seattle. Keller left without a contract because Miami wasn’t willing to offer a multi-year deal. Howard and Louis are both coming off torn ACLs. If signed, Howard would likely play the weak side, and Louis would probably compete with John Jerry and Richie Incognito for the two starting spots. … The Dolphins confirmed that new linebacker Dannell Ellerbe will play the middle. Typically, 4-3 outside linebackers aren’t paid $7 million per season, so this makes sense. … The Dolphins have shown interest in free agent cornerback Antoine Cason, but they have reportedly cooled on him. GM Jeff Ireland is blowing all his money on linebackers, but he desperately needs cornerback help.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings wined and dined free agent receiver Greg Jennings on Thursday night, and they put the full-court press on him. In attendance at dinner were head coach Leslie Frazier, GM Rick Spielman, and defensive end Jared Allen. The Vikings and Jennings’ representatives will exchange numbers on Friday, and chances are good that we’ll know something before the weekend. … Quarterback Matt Cassel was signed to a one-year, $4 million contract mere hours after being released by the Chiefs. Cassel did well by getting that much money. Christian Ponder’s starting job is said to be safe, but that could change if he shows signs of regression or struggles for a long stretch of games.

New England Patriots: Free agents receiver Donald Jones and return man/running back Leon Washington visited the Patriots on Thursday. Washington was signed to a one-year deal and will handle kickoffs and punts. We’re not sure what it means for free agent Danny Woodhead, but we wouldn’t think the two are as connected as some might think. Jones played a lot of slot receiver with the Bills in 2012, and he’d be a nice No. 4 for the Patriots. … New England has set up two more free-agent visits for Friday. Safety Adrian Wilson and defensive end John Abraham will come to town. Wilson is strictly an in-the-box safety at this stage of career. He was pulled off the field in nickel while with Arizona last season. Abraham would add some juice to the pass rush. He had ten sacks with the Falcons in 2012.

New Orleans Saints: The Saints made a big-time signing on Thursday by inking cornerback Keenan Lewis to a five-year, $26 million contract. Lewis is from New Orleans, and his acquisition is huge for what was a flat-out terrible pass defense in 2012. Lewis played a lot of press-zone in Pittsburgh. He’ll likely be asked to play more man under DC Rob Ryan, but he has the size – 6-foot, 208 – to match up with the bigger receivers in the division. … New Orleans is reportedly high on free agent outside linebacker Victor Butler’s wish list. He played under Ryan in Dallas for the last two seasons. Butler was stuck behind DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer with the Cowboys, though. He was drawing some heavy interest from the Steelers on Thursday.

New York Giants: The G-Men are rumored to be interested in a pair of free-agent linebackers: Rey Maualuga and Justin Durant. New York is looking to overhaul its linebacker corps after cutting Michael Boley and not making much of an attempt to bring back Chase Blackburn. Maualuga could play the middle, or he could play the strong side. Durant has been a strong-side ‘backer for the last couple of seasons in Detroit. If either is signed, it might allow the Giants to move Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end. Keith Rivers was re-signed to a one-year deal on Thursday, and he could be an option for a starting job, too. He was mainly a backup with the team last season. … The Giants signed safety Ryan Mundy on Thursday. He’ll be the team’s third safety behind Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown, filling Kenny Phillips’ old role. … New York has approached right tackle David Diehl about a pay cut. He’ll have to slash his $4.475 million salary somehow if he wants to return. … Free agent tight end Dustin Keller’s agent could reach out the Giants in the coming days. New York likely isn’t ready to hand the starting job over to Adrien Robinson, so there could be a match with Keller. He’d be a massive downgrade on Martellus Bennett, though.

New York Jets: Free agent receiver Brandon Gibson left his visit without a deal in place, and he is expected to head to Miami for a visit there. The Jets are having a tough time getting anyone to sign with them. They could use about 11 more starters. … Quarterback Kevin Kolb is going to be released by the Cardinals if he doesn’t take a pay cut by the end of the day on Friday, and the Jets are expected to target him if he gets the pink slip. OC Marty Mornhinweg had Kolb while the two were together in Philadelphia. … Quarterback David Garrard was promised the opportunity to be able to compete for the starting job upon his signing of a one-year contract.

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders hosted two free agents on Thursday: defensive tackle Corey Williams and cornerback Terence Newman. Williams left without a contract. He’s essentially the same player as Pat Sims, who was just signed on Wednesday. Newman would be a band-aid solution at one of the cornerback spots. He had a fine season with the Bengals in 2012, but that was mainly because Cincinnati had a top-notch pass rush. Oakland doesn’t have that, and Newman, 35 at the start of the season, would be forced to cover for a longer period of time. He’d likely come cheap, which is all the Raiders really care about.

Philadelphia Eagles: Thursday was another solid day in free agency for the Eagles. They signed three more starters in outside linebacker Connor Barwin, cornerback Cary Williams, and safety Kenny Phillips. Barwin got the biggest deal of the bunch at six years and $36 million with $8 million guaranteed. It looks like a huge deal on paper, but the guaranteed money is low, and that’s all that matters. DC Billy Davis will be tasked with bringing out the 2011 Barwin that had 11.5 sacks, not the 2012 one that posted just three. Williams got a three-year, $17 million contract, and Phillips got a one-year deal. The two will team up with recent signees safety Patrick Chung and cornerback Bradley Fletcher to form an entirely new Eagles secondary. Williams and Fletcher are both tall and can play man coverage. Phillips will play centerfield, and Chung will be the big hitter. … Personally, I love what the Eagles are doing. They’re one of the winners of free agency, so far.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Free agent running back Beanie Wells was in to take a physical on Thursday. The Steelers’ level of interest isn’t quite clear, but he isn’t that much different than Jonathan Dwyer. Both are straight-line plodders who don’t bring anything to the table in the passing game. … Pittsburgh continued its visit with free agent outside linebacker Victor Butler. The Steelers want him badly, and can’t let him get out of town if they want him. The Saints are lurking.

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers did nothing in free agency on Thursday. New cornerback Derek Cox, who signed late on Wednesday night, was introduced to the media, as were offensive tackle King Dunlap and guard Chad Rinehart. … San Diego needs to add a lot of depth this offseason. The Chargers are really only one player deep at most positions.

San Francisco 49ers: Free agents cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, safety Louis Delmas, and linebacker Dan Skuta were in town visiting on Thursday. If he signed, Asomugha would likely start on the outside opposite one of Tarell Brown or Chris Culliver with Carlos Rogers in the slot. Delmas would fill Dashon Goldson’s shoes at free safety. Skuta actually signed late on Thursday night. He’ll back up both Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman at inside linebacker, but Skuta’s main focus will be special teams. … Receiver Mario Manningham took a pay cut, slicing his salary from $3.6 million to $1.8 million. Coming off a torn ACL, Manningham likely won’t be ready for training camp and could start the season on the PUP list.

Seattle Seahawks: Once again, the Seahawks were quiet all day before coming out of nowhere to snatch up defensive end Michael Bennett on a one-year, $5 million deal. It’s an extreme bargain for Bennett, who was considered by some to be the top pass rusher on the market. Add Bennett to Wednesday’s signing of defensive end Cliff Avril, and the Seahawks have more than enough talented players to replace Chris Clemons while he recovers from a torn ACL. Bennett can even rush the passer from the interior of the line. Bennett likely could have gotten more money elsewhere, but players want to go to Seattle and play for the Seahawks. You can read more on Bennett in a piece done by Lance Zierlein right here. Veteran pass rushers John Abraham, Dwight Freeney, and Osi Umenyiora are going to have to settle for below-market deals after Bennett and Avril signed for much less than they were expected to as mid-20-year-olds.

St. Louis Rams: For the second straight day, the Rams were meeting with free agent left tackle Jake Long. We’re not quite sure what is taking so long, but reports are that the Rams are waiting to hear back from Long on their initial offer. Long is still shacked up in a St. Louis hotel, albeit a glorious one. The longer he stays in St. Louis, the better the odds that he signs with the Rams. Hopefully, we’ll hear something on Friday morning. … The Rams haven’t ruled out bringing back recently released safety Quintin Mikell. However, there are still plenty of veteran safety options left on the market, and Mikell will likely be a last resort. St. Louis has an offer out to free agent safety Louis Delmas, but he’s in San Francisco. The Rams may have to turn to free agents Kerry Rhodes and Bernard Pollard soon.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs made two transactions on Thursday. They released linebacker Quincy Black and signed receiver Kevin Ogletree. Black’s release was a formality. He has nerve damage in his neck and upper arm from a collision on the field last season. Black was due $5.5 million base salaries in each of the next three seasons. He’ll be able to recuperate $1 million due to injury. Ogletree put up one of the biggest fluke games of last season in Week 1 when he caught eight passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Fantasy footballers fell in love, and then he ended up catching just 24 passes the rest of the way while being demoted in the process. Ogletree will battle Tiquan Underwood, maybe Arrelious Benn, and likely a rookie for No. 3 receiver duties. … Tampa Bay was said to be interested in quarterback Matt Cassel after he was released by the Chiefs on Thursday. Cassel instead signed with the Vikings. It shows how little the Bucs believe in Josh Freeman at the moment, and they want someone to push him this summer.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans reportedly were the other team to pursue receiver Wes Welker. Tennessee also had interest in receiver Danny Amendola, so they are obviously looking to move on from Nate Washington as their slot man. Washington is said to have fallen out of favor due to effort concerns late last season. (Who wouldn’t have been upset in that offense?). … Chris Johnson remains the feature back even after Shonn Greene’s signing on Wednesday. Linebacker Moise Fokou is expected to compete with Colin McCarthy for the starting middle linebacker job. If both play up to their talent level, McCarthy should win the job with ease. He needs to stay off the trainer’s table. … Return man Darius Reynaud was re-signed to a one-year, $1 million deal. … Tennessee was reportedly talking to cornerback Keenan Lewis, but he never made it out of New Orleans. Defensive end Matt Shaughnessy will make a free-agent visit on Friday. He’s currently in Arizona doing the same thing with the Cardinals. Shaughnessy can play inside and on the edge in the 4-3 defense.

Washington Redskins: Washington signed right tackle Jeremy Trueblood on Thursday. Trueblood was banished from the lineup in Tampa Bay last season, but he’ll likely compete with Tony Pashos for the starting job this season. Neither one can be much worse than Tyler Polumbus was, but neither is much better, either. … Backup linebacker and special teamer Bryan Kehl was re-signed. He made six tackles in five games with the Redskins last season. … The Redskins are still looking to re-sign free agent tight end Fred Davis.